Shenandoah Arts Council and MSV Announce Partnership

Today the Shenandoah Arts Council (ShenArts) and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) announced that the organizations have formed an affinity partnership to promote the work of regional artists.

As part of this collaboration, the ShenArts administrative offices will relocate to the MSV’s Hexagon House (530 Amherst Street) and ShenArts will organize displays—featuring the work of ShenArts members—for the Museum’s popular Art in the Hallsprogram.

“The Shenandoah Arts Council has a 40-year history of providing support for artists and this will continue to be our mission,” said ShenArts Board President Anita Shull. “We’re excited to announce this collaboration with the MSV and are looking forward to the expanded opportunities and programs the partnership will offer ShenArts members.”

According to MSV Executive Director Dana Hand Evans, this partnership with ShenArts is a perfect fit for the MSV as both organizations are dedicated to promoting the arts in the Shenandoah Valley. “The MSV is pleased that this collaboration will provide exciting new shows for Art in the Halls and offer the MSV the opportunity to work with ShenArts and its members to provide new programming for the community.”

Shull notes that the new partnership with the Museum is the result of extensive research and planning conducted in 2017 by the Shenandoah Arts Council Board of Directors that was focused on evaluating the organization and determining how to create a sustainable future for ShenArts. The research, which included a SWOT analysis and a focus group of ShenArts artist members, determined that administrative changes were needed and that the current location of ShenArts was an obstacle to visitation. ShenArts named Ann Jarboe its arts administrator in October and has been working with the MSV to develop the framework for the affinity partnership throughout the winter.

Along with offering a venue that is open to the community six days a week to display the work of ShenArts members, the collaboration with the MSV provides ShenArts with rent-free office space, allowing the arts council to devote more resources towards expanding its programming schedule.

The first ShenArts-organized Art in the Halls display will open at the MSV on April 17. ArtScape Orginals will present more than 35 works created by regional artists and selected to be reproduced on banners for Winchester’s outdoor ArtScape program in 2018. Museum admission is not required to visit Art in the Halls displays. Located at 901 Amherst Street, the MSV is open Tuesday through Sunday.